Oil and the world

I just read The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power. This is a terrific history of oil, and the role it has played in shaping the world over the last 150 years. The rise of oil at the time of the decline of colonialism and how it shaped the world's countries, especially the middle east, is very interesting in trying to understand what comes next. It is fascinating to see how many eccentric & strong minded individuals made huge fortunes or created large companies, often both, over this period. Take a look at the top companies of the world - it is dominated by oil.